


What I Like About You

by cratedragonproductions



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Alliance Commander - Freeform, Chaotic Neutral Smuggler, Cutscene Tracking, Discussions of Power Dynamics, F/M, Fluff, Post-Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Eternal Throne, Sith Empire, Theron doesn't know what makeup is, mild sexual references, momentary angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26180296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cratedragonproductions/pseuds/cratedragonproductions
Summary: Theron and Lana discuss his relationship with the Alliance Commander. Set in Chapter II of KOTET.
Relationships: Theron Shan/Female Smuggler
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	What I Like About You

It had been years since Theron Shan had set foot on Dromund Kaas. It really wasn’t his kind of place, what with all those crazy Sith running around and those wound-too-tight Imperials. Not that the Republic’s chain of command was any better. Nevertheless, he did always find the weather dour on this accursed jungle planet. It always rained there. And it was so humid. He didn’t know how in blazes anyone could stand to be outside in layered uniforms or heavy battle armor.

The only reason for this “vacation,” as the Commander put it, was to propagate an alliance with the New Sith Empire. Maybe it was his upbringing, maybe it was his last trip to the Imperial homeworld, but Theron couldn’t help but feel uneasy about this excursion. Even less so when the Empress Acina asked the Commander to join her on her personal shuttle, citing a need to speak freely. He hadn’t said anything when Lana said that splitting up the group wouldn’t be wise, but he trusted Feenstra. Even she seemed wary. Besides, she had a job to do, and so did they.

Theron watched as Feenstra followed the Sith Empress to her private dock. She had chosen to wear red today, and not just any red. She called it her “Ravager” coat. It’d been a while since he’d seen her wear it. How could he forget? The last time she had worn that coat was the last time he saw her before she disappeared for five years. Before the Alliance. Before the carbonite. Before the Eternal Empire. Back when they’d share a kiss at the end of a long and arduous mission, which usually involved saving the galaxy in some way or another.

That’s all they seemed to do when he, Feenstra, and Lana were together, saving the galaxy, but it seemed so much simpler back then. Maybe it was because he still had a real job and Feenstra was still a smuggler. She was still a smuggler at heart, but now she was “the Commander.” Now they were both responsible for lives more than their own.

Theron followed Lana down the hall leading away from the throne room and from their liaison, Lorman, who apparently got some promotion higher than Moff. Was it Magistrate? Marshal? Theron decided it wasn’t important. While the Commander and the Empress Acina were going to talk politics, he would be slicing into the Kaas City networks. Despite having expressed that the Empire was her home, Lana agreed that it would be a good idea to monitor Imperial communications and security. They were in a sort of conference room, with Imperial insignia covering the walls. Theron had always liked the color red, but he thought it was a bit much when used in Imperial designs.

He stepped towards one of the computer terminals in the room and went to work as Lana sat on the floor, preparing to meditate. He’d had plenty of experience slicing into Imperial comms over the years. That was his specialty with the SIS. It didn’t matter if it was a gang network on Nar Shaada or government security on Coruscant, Theron Shan could slice it.

 _Tippa-tappa_. _Tippa-tappa_. “Just about into the main network,” he said. _Beep-boop_. “And there.” He was in. He could see all sort of communications arrays and security logs from the past week. He was searching for anything related to keyword Zakuul when Lana slowly opened her eyes and turned her head towards him.

“Theron, I realize it’s been a while and forgive me for asking, but what exactly are your intentions with the Commander?”

He didn’t look away from the screen as he asked, “What do you mean by ‘intentions,’ Lana?”

She sighed. “Look, you know I’ve had to lecture you about your…indecorous conduct with the Commander before.” She was referring to their inappropriate flirtations during briefings and the even-more-inappropriate smacks on the ass after such briefings, for a start. “And I’m glad that you two seem to be happy…” _Seem to be happy_ was one way of putting it. He was sure she and the rest of the Alliance could hear the two of them at night. Both he and the Commander had gotten more than their share of averted eyes and red-tinged cheeks on mornings after they _seemed to be happy_ with each other. “But where do you see this going?”

The tippity-tap of his fingers on the computer terminal paused for a moment. He was by no means great at relationships and had told Feenstra as much on multiple occasions. He liked what they had so far, and he assumed that Feenstra did as well. She made no indication that she was unhappy with their relationship, verbal or otherwise.

“Why?” he asked. “Has she said something to you?” Redirection.

“No, but as I regard you two as some of my closest friends, I want to make sure you know what you’re doing.”

“Well, with all the noise complaints we’ve gotten, I’d say we know exactly what we’re doing.”

“Theron Shan, you disgusting, laserbrained…ugh! That is not what I meant and you know it!” An uncomfortable silence blanketed the room, interrupted only by Theron’s fingers tippity-tapping on the computer terminal.

Lana let out a sigh. “I just want to know why you two are together. It can’t just be a sex thing.”

He really didn’t want to deal with this right now. At all. Not from Lana anyway. If Feenstra had some complaints, they could talk about them later. “Aren’t I supposed to be working here? That is why you brought me along, isn’t it?”

“Indulge me.”

It was Theron’s turn to sigh. She would probably keep pestering him until he obliged her. He turned to face her, leaning on the computer terminal, crossed arms and all. “What is it you want to know?”

“Why are you dating the Commander?”

“Alright, first of all, I’m dating Feenstra, not ‘the Commander.’ And before you say something like, ‘the difference is irrelevant’ or ‘minimal’ or whatever, it isn’t. I’m dating a girl. A woman—a real woman—not a military leader. We all call her ‘Commander’ out of respect, but you and I knew her before all that. I knew her as ‘Feenstra’ first.”

“Well then, at least we know it isn’t a power thing.”

“What? No, of course not!”

“So then tell me, Theron. Why are you dating her? And please, nothing related to your sex life.”

His arms were still crossed. He looked down at the floor. He’d never said any of this aloud before. He started slowly. “Well, I like her bad taste in music and how she always has to play it when she’s charging into battle. I like her awful dance moves and how confident she looks when she does them. I feel like I have to dance just as badly so she doesn’t catch on to just how crappy some of her moves are. I like how she leans in her seat when she’s piloting the _Crate Dragon_ as if she’s on a swoop instead.

“Every morning she does her makeup, puts that blue…stuff around her eyes.” Theron did not know the word for _eyeshadow_. “Well, I like waking up next to her and seeing her without it. It’s the same with her hair. I appreciate the practicality of tying her hair back, but, I don’t know, I guess I feel…special…when she lets me see her with her hair down. It’s not like one way or the other is the _real_ Feenstra, but I feel like she trusts me to see two halves of a whole.

“I like her—for lack of a better word—fire? She’s really…passionate! That’s the word. She can be so sarcastic and funny. And the banter! Getting into a one-liner match with her!” he chuckled. “I like how she’ll sometimes scowl, but if I kiss her, she’ll start to smile. It makes me happy when she smiles.” By the time his eyes met Lana’s, he was beaming.

A mischievous smirk crept onto one of the corners of Lana’s mouth. “So you _are_ in love with her. Have you told her?”

Theron blinked and his own grin faltered. “Love? I don’t know if that’s love.” He turned back towards the computer terminal. “How would I know what love is?”

Lana stood up. “Theron Shan, you must be blind,” she said half-frustratedly, half-jokingly. “I don’t think I’ve heard a confession of love as potent as that.”

Theron didn’t know what to say, so he ignored her.

Her voice then took a soft, warning tone. “Just be careful. For as much as Feenstra says that she doesn’t want to take the Eternal Throne, she might not have a choice. I don’t know what that might mean for your relationship, but you should be prepared for that possibility.”

Theron opened his mouth to respond.

“Wait!” Lana felt a presence through the Force. “Someone’s coming.”

Theron’s eyes widened, then he stepped away from the terminal and leaned against a nearby wall.

Lorman marched in, bearing a nasty grin that met his cold eyes. “Forgive the intrusion, but I come bearing tragic news. The Empress’s shuttle has crashed!”

Theron’s eyebrows shot up, suspicious. “Crashed? Where?” In a second, his bored façade had vanished; he stopped leaning against the wall.

“Somewhere in the jungle,” Lorman replied. “Unfortunately, the emergency locator is not transmitting.”

Theron moved closer to Lana, arms crossed. She gazed at the floor, hands on her hips. “That’s…uh…that’s impossible.” She sounded flustered.

“Not if the shuttle disintegrated,” Lorman explained. “I’m afraid there’s only one logical conclusion. The Empress and Commander are dead.” He then turned to leave, citing that he now had other matters to attend to.

Theron wouldn’t believe it. He raced back to the computer terminal to do some digging. “Looks like the storm’s not letting up any time soon. I say we grab a shuttle and head out now.”

“The interference would disable comms and scanners,” Lana disagreed. “Not to mention, the risk of an electrical surge frying our circuits.”

Clearly not getting anything helpful from the computer, Theron shook his head in a jumble of nerves and anxiety. Then came the familiar beeping of an incoming holo transmission. Perhaps this would give them new insight. He answered it, finding only the face of a woman he despised. Former Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Leontyne Saresh.

“Shan,” the Twi’lek addressed him. “I just heard the news. Let me express my sincere condolences.”

Ever defensive, Theron shot back, “SIS reporting has gone downhill since I left. The Commander is _missing_ , not dead.”

“Don’t let foolish hope blind you,” Saresh countered, as frigid as Hoth. “You are leaderless, as are the Sith. Someone must step in to fill the void.”

He was grateful for when Lana cut him off. “Forgive me but aren’t you the _former_ Republic Chancellor?” the Sith queried. “You’ve already served your term.”

Saresh didn’t seem to appreciate that. “True leaders don’t need titles to hold power. I want what your leader wanted: to defeat Vaylin. Join me, and we can finish what she started.”

“Pass,” Theron declared. “I’ve had more than my fill of working with you.”

Saresh frowned. “You are still grieving. Eventually, you’ll realize I’m right.” With that, the former Chancellor disappeared from the holo.

Lana and Theron turned towards each other. “Storm be damned,” Lana stated. “The time for patience has passed. Let’s find the Commander.” They left the conference room and the computer, heading down the hall from which they came at a brisk pace. When they reached the elevator, Lana looked at Theron, sensing his confusion, his anxiety.

She spoke up, “I don’t want to believe Feenstra’s gone either—she’s gotten out of worse before—but it is still a possibility. Mind your feelings, your thoughts betray you.”

His face was grim as he stared straight ahead. “I’ve already lost her once. I won’t do it again.”

Once again, they heard the beeping of an incoming holo transmission. Theron pulled out his portable holo device, answering the call of Military Alliance Specialist Bey’wan Aygo.

“Bey’wan, now’s not a good time.”

“This can’t wait,” the Bothan answered. “Saresh just sent a message. She’s heading here to Odessen.”

“Seems she didn’t wait for us to change our minds after all,” Lana said.

“Send her packing the second she lands,” Theron seethed.

“Some of the troops want to hear her out,” Bey’wan answered. “They aren’t sure the Alliance can last. There are rumors about the Commander.” How could it have spread this fast?

“Remind them where their loyalties lie,” Lana countered.

“Stall Saresh. We’re on our way,” Theron said as the holo ended. He turned to Lana. “Something doesn’t add up. This is too fast. And she isn’t dead.”

The elevator ground to a halt. When the doors opened, Theron and Lana were met by the threatening blasters of three Imperial troops. “Minister Lorman warned us you might sneak off,” the center one explained. Knowing when to give up, Theron put up his hands, Lana scowling.

The Imperial troops led them down a new hall all the while the pair waited for an opportunity to get the better of their opponents. And it seemed they would get their chance sooner rather than later. One of the troops had an incoming holo message.

“This is Minister Lorman. Let me speak to the prisoners.”

Lana reached out through the Force to choke the guard receiving the transmission. Theron, on the other hand went for his blasters. _Pew pew!_ The other two troops fell to the floor.

“Oh, hello, _Lorman_ ,” Lana said to the holo.

“This is who you sent to capture us?” Theron asked incredulously as he replaced one of his blasters. “I’m a little offended.”

Then, the holo switched and Lorman was no longer visible. Feenstra was there, safe and ready for a quip as always. “You started the killing without me,” she pouted.

“We can’t let you have all the fun,” Lana countered. “It’s good to hear your voice.”

Theron stepped forward so that Feenstra could see him through the holo. “You need to stop doing this to me,” he said as he put his hand to his forehead. He was so relieved that she was alright!

“You were worried about me,” she said coyly.

Yes, he was worried about her! Didn’t she know how much she meant to him? Theron meant it when he told Lana that he wouldn’t lose Feenstra again. After all the times he’s asked her to be more careful and she pulls another stunt like this. He’s told her time and time again how much he cares for her. Maybe it was different. Is this what Lana meant when she said he was in love with Feenstra?

Flustered, he answered, “I, uh…Let’s focus on the chancellor. Saresh wants the Alliance, Commander. She’s on Odessen as we speak.”

“Hold tight. I’m on my way,” Feenstra said.

The holo ended. He and Lana were heading for the ship. They’d pick up the Commander and the Empress Acina, but they had to hurry if they were to catch up with Saresh.

“You need to tell her,” Lana said. “It’s so obvious but she needs to hear it from you.”

They strapped into the cockpit of the shuttle. “Maybe,” was all he’d say on the matter. “Oh, by the way,” he glowered at Lana, "don’t tell her what I said about her music. Or her dancing.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said with a smirk.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't want to rewrite the ending cutscene for Chapter II of KotET because I didn't feel like I had anything to add there, so I left it off just before that.


End file.
